Top Law Firm Dominates with $8.8B in Revenue; Explore the Category Leaders

Leading the Legal Landscape: Kirkland & Ellis Tops Am Law 100 Rankings

By Debra Cassens Weiss

April 16, 2025, 9:52 am CDT

Kirkland & Ellis has once again claimed the title of the highest-grossing law firm in the United States, amassing an impressive $8.8 billion in gross revenue for the year 2024. This substantial figure narrowly approaches the $9 billion mark, demonstrating robust financial performance in the legal sector.

The Am Law 100 report indicates that the financial health of the top law firms flourished in 2024. Notably, the top 100 firms collectively experienced a remarkable average revenue growth of 13.3%, alongside a significant 7.7% increase in the number of attorneys and a 5.2% bump in revenue per lawyer.

Highlighting Category Leaders

In addition to Kirkland & Ellis’s standout gross revenue, other firms excelled in specific financial categories:

• Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: Achieved the highest revenue per lawyer at $4.47 million.
• Kirkland & Ellis: Registered the highest profits per equity partner with $9.25 million.

Despite the overall financial uplift, it is worth noting that while 20 of the top firms matched or surpassed the average revenue growth, 80 other firms lagged behind, highlighting a competitive disparity in the sector.

Top Law Firms by Gross Revenue

The following are the top five firms based on gross revenue:

1. Kirkland & Ellis: $8.8 billion (up about 22% from 2023)
2. Latham & Watkins: $7 billion (up about 23% from 2023)
3. DLA Piper: $4.2 billion (up nearly 11% from 2023)
4. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom: $3.6 billion (up about 12% from 2023)
5. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher: $3.5 billion (up nearly 16% from 2023)

Leading Firms by Revenue Per Lawyer

The firms that achieved the highest revenue per lawyer include:

1. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: $4.47 million
2. Susman Godfrey: $2.38 million
3. Sullivan & Cromwell: $2.33 million
4. Ropes & Gray: $2.33 million
5. Kirkland & Ellis: $2.29 million

Top Firms by Profits Per Equity Partner

In terms of profits per equity partner, the leading firms are as follows:

1. Kirkland & Ellis: $9.25 million
2. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz: $9.03 million
3. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan: $8.64 million
4. Davis Polk & Wardwell: $7.8 million
5. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett: $7.66 million

The performance of these firms in 2024 underscores a thriving legal landscape, highlighting the competitive nature of the industry.